


Just In Time

by Taffyberry



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Prompt Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-15
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-16 05:20:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29448441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Taffyberry/pseuds/Taffyberry
Summary: Valentione's Day has arrived in Amaurot, and a certain member of the convocation is not very much enjoying the occasion, that is until he receives an unexpected mail.
Relationships: Azem/Emet-Selch (Final Fantasy XIV)
Kudos: 11





	Just In Time

**Author's Note:**

> Day 1 for @emetwolweek on twitter! I didn't know about it until the day before, so this is kind of last minute haha. I am a bit out of practice writing fluff, but here's hoping it comes out okay!

The holiday was absolutely detestable.

Absolutely.

It was _impossible_ to live in the city. 

Okay, so, that was maybe going a bit too far. Perhaps. 

Well, Hades didn't care much, he'd sat for what felt through eons of time with Mitron and Loghrif making those ridiculously sappy eyes at each other across the room. Everyone had been annoyed by it at the end-- as if the pair didn't need an excuse to be so outwardly affectionate, and now there was an entire day dedicated to it. He hated it! And, as if that unjust action had not been enough, Elidibus had the gall to mention Azem's name. He had, apparently, realised his mistake instantly after and so had the other members, because the room had fallen silent, and no one made eye contact with him for the rest of the meeting.

Hades had been the first to leave the room, he did not want to talk to a single one of them. He had work to do-- work he should be doing... yet he found himself pacing the city, hoping for some slight trace of her. He was so attuned to her soul, her amazingly bright and warm light, that he felt as though he could pick her out from yalms away, and yet the more he looked the more obvious her absence was. 

The 14th had been away longer than usual. He was used to her being out of the city, he always looked forward to the stories she would bring home with her, even though he might never openly admit it. He enjoyed those moments with her, tired and exhausted as she was, lying in his arms and telling him everything she had seen, the places she had been-- Hades closed his eyes-- wiping her tears when she had felt losses she blamed herself for, the rage he felt whenever she returned injured, the worry, the concern--

Wherever she was now, he wished she return soon. It had been six months almost. Far too long-- what if she was hurt somewhere, or somehow lost or trapped-- his brow furrowed as his mind continued to race with ridiculous theories he knew possibly couldn't be true yet until she was there, in his arms again, he would not be able to cease thinking about. He hated the foolish holiday, yet he wanted her there to pester him into doing some ridiculous activity which would bring some huge smile to her face. 

A sigh drew from his lips and he held his face in his hand. 

Part of him wished she would never leave, but she would be unhappy. A cage is a cage, no matter how gilded it was, after all.

It was selfish of him to wish for it, and he reminded himself, firmly, that she would come home. She had promised him, and she never broke her promises. Yet he dare not return home yet, to his lonely rooms, dark and withdrawn and no trace that she had been there, save the roses she had been inspired to conjure up many, many moons ago. They were her favourite, came to her in a dream she had said, and though he knew there were more to it than that, he had happily accepted her answer. Anything to make her smile so was fine in his books.

So distracted was he, that when a large hand clapped down on his shoulder, he almost shot from his skin. 

Hades turned instantly, eyes wide, to face the laughing visage of his other closest friend, Hythlodaeus. "Oh yes, very funny."

It drew more laughter from his lips, and he brought his hand up to brush his long hair back from where it had fallen in his eyes. "I have not known you to be so unobservant, my friend, to not notice me approach. I called your name a few times."

There was no reply.

Hythlodaeus smiled softly. He had already surmised that he would not be in a pleasant mood, and so hearing about the foul mood at the meeting hadn't surprised him. "You don't even like the day," he pointed out. "Unless you had a change of heart?"

Hades face twisted, and his arms folded firmly across his chest. "Do you have business with me?"

"Oh, absolutely," he said seriously, unable to keep his lip from twitching as he stifled his laughter. He would have to regale Azem with this story when she returned, it was not often he was so... worked up. "I found mail addressed to you in my letter box," he offered him the envelope from his robes and paused. "The hand writing is messy."

A moment passed, and Hythlodaeus again held his laughter as his friend's eyes fixed on the paper, and his hand twitched towards it. Azem, ever in a hurry, ever on the mood, was known for her messy handwriting. Lahabrea lectured her about it tediously, and it would go in one ear and out the other, and it would repeat every time she handed in a report. Eventually, Hades was unable to stop himself from snatching the letter, and he held the sealed thing in two hands. He squinted at it. It was her hand writing for sure. 

Yet, despite this proof she was okay and thinking of him, he couldn't help but feel disappointed that it was a letter, and not her. 

A nearby tree made a perfect spot to read the letter, and he waved his friend off lazily as he bid farewell-- knowing full well that Hades attention would not belong to anyone else for some time. There was a hesitant moment where he wondered whether he really wanted to open it, but it passed quickly, and he neatly unsealed the letter and set the envelope aside. A few others passed by, but no one paid him any attention. 

> My dearest Hades,
> 
> If you are reading this then I really must apologise-- I am probably running late. I tried, very much so indeed, to make it home in time to spend this day with you-- how much I know you dislike the idea of it all, yet it means more to me than you will probably ever understand, that you still agree to spend time with me during it. I sent this letter ahead, and knowing what I am like, it probably reached our friend before you. I hope you are well. I miss you.

Hades paused and stared up at the darkening sky. It was a soft orange, it reminded him of her. 

> I have so much to tell you, and I very much wish I could put it into one letter, but I am short on time, and it's more important I let you know that I love you, and I miss you, and you are on my mind near constantly. I know you will tell me to stop being so dramatic with my words, and to focus on my work and not get hurt _again_ , but I know right now you are probably sulking with Mitron and Loghrif. Sometimes I wish you could come with me, I wish I could show you the beautiful things I see, the people I meet.
> 
> Know that I will return soon, please look after yourself and don't be grouchy with Hythlodaeus.
> 
> Yours, 
> 
> Azem.

The city was silent, and he was not quite sure how he felt. Happy-- to a point. To know how forefront in her mind he was brought him more joy than he should have felt, like some excitable child or-- or something. Part of him always hated the joy he felt whenever she disturbed one of his naps, and all he could do was be glad for her warm smile, and be shocked that her attention was on him. So sure he was of being stoic and keeping himself to himself, that when she coaxed each of these things from him so easily, as if she were able to turn them into letters on a page, it shocked him and he felt a form of self hate for it. Yet it passed quickly, because he was never sure what it was he'd done to earn her love and affection, but he was so glad he had done it. **Immensely**. 

Of course, he had no way to reply, and so he sighed in annoyance. Was he, then, supposed to keep this to himself? This... yearning need. He needed her there-- without it he felt like... like all the colours around him were dulled somehow. Nothing seemed quite as vibrant, quite as _warm_. He longed for her, he wished for her there-- to hold her tightly and bury his face in her hair and wonder where she had been this time.

And then, he sensed it.

Hades jumped to his feet, letter firmly in his hand, and he turned to face towards the direction it came from-- he wasn't mistaken, was he? His highest hopes hadn't manifested, had they? His heart beat, a bird caught in his rib cage trying hard to break free--

Then, he saw her.

So shocked was he by it, that he was unable to move, rooted to the spot. Instead, Azem rushed forward and threw herself at him so firmly, he fell back down to where he had just been sat. Her laughter reached his ears, and her scent filled his nose, and realising this was no trick, his arms came around her tightly to anchor her to him.

"I'm not too late, I hope?" she whispered.

"No," he said. "You're just in time."


End file.
